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Nature recovery on the Attingham Estate

Cows grazing in the meadow in late summer at Attingham Park, Shropshire
Cows grazing on the Attingham Estate | © National Trust Images/James Dobson

The Attingham Estate is just under 1,000 hectares and includes woodland, parkland, tenanted farms and farmland. We want to make the land that we look after better for nature, and improve access, helping people connect with nature. We’re working with our tenants to make more space for wildlife across our land to help in the fight against the decline in nature and climate change.

Woodland creation pilot at Lower Betton Farm

This autumn we’re planting 7 hectares of new woodland on land at Lower Betton Farm on the wider Attingham Estate – the first step towards delivering major improvements for nature by 2030.

The woodland creation, supported by funding from the Environment Agency, will harness the power of trees to lock in carbon, slow the flow of water and provide wildlife habitat. It will contribute to the National Trust's net zero and tree planting targets.

View from above of two arable fields surrounded by roads on farmland with wider views of Shropshire countryside
Drone footage of arable fields pre-woodland planting at Lower Betton Farm on the Attingham Estate | © Worker Drones UK

The two fields will be planted from late November 2023, to give the trees the best opportunity to establish before spring and summer 2024 when we might experience drier ground conditions.

The planting and aftercare of the woodland will use naturalistic techniques with deer and rabbit fencing for protection rather than individual tree guards. Our farm tenant is establishing a wildflower and grass meadow beneath the trees which will help provide groundcover to protect from the impacts of drought and encourage wildlife to flourish as we wait for the trees to grow.

The learning from this pilot will inform future woodland establishment approaches at Attingham and around the country.

View of trees with meadow in foreground at Attingham Park Shropshire
Established woodland at Attingham Park | © National Trust/Jane Gough

Our nature recovery work

October 2023

A helping hand to create a woodland

Students from Telford Priory School lent a helping hand by gathering sweet chestnuts and native berries in the parkland at Attingham Park. Afterwards, the students went down to Lower Betton Farm on the wider estate where they scattered and toed in the chestnuts and left the berries for the birds, all to help establish the new woodland. Buckets of thanks to everyone who came to help! 

Young student picking sweet chestnuts from the tree in autumn at Attingham Park Shropshire
Students form Telford Priory School picking sweet chestnuts to help establish woodland on the Attingham Estate | © National Trust/Claire Tafft

Contact us

Email

For further information or enquiries, please get in touch.

attingham@nationaltrust.org.uk

Our partners

Environment Agency

Environmental Agency is a public body sponsored by the Department for Environment, Food & Rural Affairs, working to create better places for people and wildlife, and support sustainable development.

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